Tom Campenni
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IN THIS EDITION OF THE NEWSLETTER
The kerfuffle over the pet ordinance has me thinking about what it means to be business friendly or, for that matter business, unfriendly?
Much of our beliefs are situational when it comes to matters like this. Some people believe there should be no regulation. That is unless it happens to be something they want to have regulated. Others want just the opposite…they never met anything that couldn’t use government intervention until their freedom to act is threatened.
Most of what I have written for the past decade espouses the free market. Though to have free markets, you need to make sure that there is a level of regulation to protect against a monopoly and to police behavior. The same thing goes for this pet thing.
If a consumer wants to pay thousands of dollars for a pet, then that is alright with me. But the foolish human needs to be protected from being taken advantage of by some usurious legal loan sharking to make that purchase. The animals also need to be protected from living their young lives in cramped cages. Any conditions to be imposed by the government in protecting animal or human well-being is not against free enterprise.
I don’t think we can equate animal rights with human rights. There is a distinction. That doesn’t mean we should disregard the conditions that animals live in. How often does that puppy in the window take a walk outside of his cage in the park if ever. What happens to those cute young pups when they become a little older and no one has bought them? Do they go to that euphemistic farm where too many unwanted animals go?
We protect exotic animals from exploitation and sale. Why don’t we do the same for the common variety types? Why is it business adverse in one instance and not in the other? When I was a kid, they had “freak shows” at carnivals and the circus. They were populated with what were called midgets, bearded ladies, supposed Siamese twins and all manner of human curiosities. We no longer permit that. Is that another example of government intruding or being business unfriendly?
The point is our perceptions of what is and is not acceptable changes over time. It isn’t a matter of being friendly or not friendly to business. Perhaps the distinction lies in what is and is not thought of as humane and civilized by today’s standards. Perhaps that is why there are 85 other places in our state that outlaw the practice of selling pets out of a store front according to the Humane Society.
In this edition of the newsletter, Darlene writes about FPL and undergrounding of power lines. David Hafner about the magic of 4-H and Ian. United Way explains their new pick-up service and BDB on their new officers. Helping People Succeed writes in depth about National Employment with Disabilities Week.
Tiffany Kincaid of Keep Martin Beautiful has helpful hints on hazardous recycling. MCTA analysis of where school board employees live. There is also a public service piece regarding a fund for Hurricane Ian relief. And Jackie Holfelder explains what is happening with our non-profits.
We have all the latest news from Stuart, Martin County, and the rest of the municipalities. The Final Thought section is on free enterprise in Florida. Business is an important component on our reporting of whether Martin County’s BOCC disregards being business friendly.
Remember to have all your friends and neighbors sign up for the newsletter. If you are in real estate, make sure that your new homeowners are receiving the newsletter as part of their orientation to Martin County. If you have new neighbors, introduce them to us.
This publication belongs to every individual in the county. Therefore, everyone should be getting it. If you disagree with something in an edition, write a letter or email to me and get your view across. Better yet, if interested submit, a column. Many of our columnist and letter writers have a different point of view than I do.
Have a good Sunday morning!
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THE DECISION IS STILL OURS
Florida will continue to experience huge population growth from now until 2060.
A new study by Woods & Poole Economics, a firm specializing in long-term economic and demographic trends, shows that the Villages will be the number one metro area for growth in the U.S. between now and 2060. Orlando, Cape Coral, and Naples-Marco Island are all high on the list to experience exponential growth by 2060.
The Port St. Lucie metro area will grow from 511,300 people today to 920,600 by 2060. The Port St Lucie MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) has that city as its hub. The city’s population is now 212,901 residents, and it is currently the 7th largest city, by population, in Florida.
Fort Pierce is part of the Port St. Lucie MSA and so is all of Martin County. Where do you think the additional 400,000 plus residents are going to live by 2060? It is highly likely that a big subsection of these new residents will call our county home, and to believe otherwise is denying the data.
What the study also showed was the growing urbanization of most of America in the past 20 years, and it is projected to continue. Government policies that do not take this into consideration will fail. Saying no to projects because of some belief that you control the use of land owned by other people will fail.
If Florida were an independent country, it’s economy would rank 15th in the world. By 2030, we could be ranked 10th according to a study conducted by the Florida Chamber. There is no study that doesn’t expect Florida to be an economic powerhouse now and well into the future. People are moving here not to just retire anymore but to make their fortunes and find jobs.
Tallahassee wants and needs tax revenue now and in the future. They need to keep the train moving to accomplish it. One place they will be looking to make sure ample housing and economic opportunities exist will be in Martin County. The days of saying no are over. There is no longer the luxury of many residents being armchair nay sayers.
Costco and the Kanner PUD are a good project that should go forward. It has less density than what Stuart’s comp plan allows. The state DEO pointed that out when it went for review. The developer, now owner, of the site has an excellent chance of prevailing with the Governor’s Council, but if not, it will be a slam dunk in the owner’s favor in court.
The state must find adequate housing for millions of people. I don’t mean affordable or attainable or work force…I mean homes to house the folks who are flocking here from all over the U.S. Businesses of all types will open to serve the population. Our growing population will fill those jobs and open those businesses. Tallahassee is not going to have a few naïve people stop it. The economic and demographic juggernaut that is and will be Florida will continue.
Either we are going to have rational housing policies in Stuart and Martin County by good planning or the state will do it. If the state does the planning for us, I can assure you that Martin County will be looking more like other parts of the Port St. Lucie MSA and even Broward. The decision for another year or two is still ours…after that look for the final decisions to be more and more made in Tallahassee if our county has not realigned its thinking.
(As Published In Martin County Moment)
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FLORIDA’S SOCIALIST TENDENCY
Citizens Insurance now has more than one million homes insured in Florida.
The state-owned company is the last resort for its policy holders. When a homeowner’s insurance company goes out of business or leaves the state, Citizens is assigned as their carrier if no other company takes them as a customer. If there is a mortgage on the home, the bank requires that it be insured. It is not a cheap alternative to private insurance.
With a million policies, what happens when Florida is hit with a hurricane? Where does the money come from to settle claims? There is the Florida Catastrophe Hurricane Fund which is state administered and has money from the state’s insurance companies’ premiums. Hurricane Ian now hitting the gulf coast will probably need that money plus many millions more to satisfy claims. Ultimately, payments will be from the taxpayers.
The creation of Citizens was to help homeowners. They were to serve as the insurer of last resort. Without insurance people could not buy homes because banks would not lend money to uninsured residences. That meant the real estate market could continue to climb. Florida could welcome 300,000 new residents a year. So far so good as the saying goes.
Yet while other private companies followed the laws of economics and either left markets or cut back on the number of policies written, Citizens boldly went where no others would go since that was its mandate. It is a non-profit company owned by the State of Florida. We know that Florida will be hit with a catastrophic event resulting in losses at some point. Ian may fill the bill. That means the state coffers will have to be tapped to make good on their promise to pay their insureds.
Government interfering in markets, even for good reason, usually results in hurting the very markets it sought to help. Sometimes the economy needs to have pain inflicted on the participants so that adjustments can be made. While it can be painful, it is always better than allowing the distortion to those markets to be papered over. It eventually becomes worse.
Even in deep red Florida politicians, cannot help themselves. They created a monster and now at some point (probably soon), we will all pay the price of the state’s socialistic experiment.
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THE LUCK OF THE DRAW
Martin County has dodged another bullet because the path of Hurricane Ian headed west.
We have been lucky the last few years. Though the big one can be just around the corner. The last I heard there were approximately 100 deaths attributed to Ian. There will probably be more. The 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane (they did not officially name storms at that point) saw 2500 deaths in our area. There is a memorial in Port Mayaca to the victims who died mainly by drowning.
The 1928 hurricane was classified as a Cat 5. Structures were not nearly as well built as they are today. Building codes were upgraded after the storm as they were again after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. In 1928, most people died from flooding because the present levy had not yet been constructed around the lake.
With the 24-7 coverage we have today, there is plenty of warning although we still don’t know exactly where the storm will come ashore until very late in the game. That leads some of us to unnecessary worry and others to have a rather cavalier attitude. Both traits are not the best ones to possess.
We also have 300,000 people a year moving to the state. Many have never been through a hurricane. It is important that they, along with seasoned veterans, not wait until the last moment to stock up on needed supplies or, if required, to evacuate.
If there is one certainty, it is that at some point the Treasure Coast will be hit with a major storm. Those of us lucky enough to not be in a flood plain, or live on a barrier island, and occupy a home built using the post Andrew building code should come through relatively unscathed. The rest of us may have problems. One thing is for sure…preparation is essential.
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Hurricane Ian Relief Fund
Don’t let your kindness go to waste: give responsibly after a disaster
While we are thankful that our area escaped the devastating blow from Hurricane Ian, our hearts go out to our fellow Floridians who are dealing with the unfathomable destruction in Ian’s wake. As we watch the news, we’re so overwhelmed with grief and empathy when we see other people hurting that we feel compelled to do something to help – especially when a disaster hits as close to home as Ian did. In my 30+ years in the United Way movement, I’ve witnessed many disaster relief efforts and there are several tips I’d like to share about how to give responsibility after a disaster:
1) Donating items can do more harm than good.
While donating material goods is a tremendous gesture of love, the influx of items can often hinder efficient relief operations. These well-meaning offerings can inundate shelters and warehouses and drain the time and energy of volunteers. When items are donated, all of them must be checked to verify that perishable food is not expired and water is properly sealed, or that clothing is clean and appropriate. What’s left must be thrown away, and many times this can cause an even bigger burden for a community already in chaos.
2) Monetary donations to a reputable organization are the best way to help.
Donating money may seem impersonal and some may have concerns that funds will not reach those who need it most, however, it is the most efficient way to help. In the aftermath of a disaster, needs are constantly changing. Financial contributions allow for maximum flexibility to ensure survivors are getting exactly what they need, when they need it, like childcare, medications, or gas cards so they can move or return home. If you are having a hard time finding a trustworthy organization, start with the organizations you know in your own community.
3) Volunteer strategically.
Just because you can travel to a disaster site doesn’t mean you should. Showing up unannounced can add to the chaos and could potentially be unsafe. Wait until specific needs and opportunities have been identified. Plus, right after a disaster, it is easy for a community to get overwhelmed by all the caring people who want to help. Organizations like the American Red Cross, Salvation Army or a local United Way will train, mobilize and deploy volunteers to help where it’s needed most.
4) Response is a sprint, but recovery is a marathon.
It will take years for communities to recover after Hurricane Ian, yet the world’s attention and empathy after a disaster can be short-lived. Many times, when the cameras stop rolling and attention is drawn to the next news story, donors and volunteers follow suit. And this is when help is most critical! Financial contributions will be needed to help rebuild or repair homes, to provide social services, such as mental health and more. If you can make a financial contribution, consider staggering your donation over a longer timeframe.
We live in a big-hearted community, and I know there is no shortage of people who will raise their hands to help. If we all make more informed decisions, we’ll empower local communities by providing the help they really need to start rebuilding their lives. That’s what it means to Live United.
Carol G. Houwaart-Diez is the President/CEO of United Way of Martin County. United Way of Martin County has created a Hurricane Ian Relief Fund to provide a trusted vehicle for supporters through which to give.
100% of these funds will be distributed through the United Way network to directly help those impacted most in local communities throughout Florida. If you would like to help, you can do so online at www.UnitedWayMartin.org/Hurricane.
IF YOU ARE NOT A SUBSCRIBER DO SO FOR FREE HERE
OTHER OPINIONS
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NON-PROFIT PERSPECTIVE
By Carol Houwaart-Diez
United Way of Martin County President-CEO
For many locals, transportation is not always easy to find.
As an organization looking to fill unmet needs in our community, I am excited to highlight a new pilot program United Way of Martin County is launching called Ride United. The rideshare program will serve as a resource to Martin County residents with limited access to transportation to get to and from essential appointments. The program covers the cost of Lyft rides of up to $25 each way. As a starting point, we are working with two of our agency partners, House of Hope and Little Lights Dentistry, to provide transportation for their clients.
Once we have put the program through its paces, we will expand it to offer a greater range of services for residents who need transportation for health appointments, employment opportunities, procurement of food, educational, legal, housing, or economic stability appointments.
Transportation has proven to be a key issue for many individuals seeking services to support pandemic recovery. When this grant opportunity arose, we recognized the potential to reduce transportation barriers that prevent individuals from accessing health care, getting quality jobs, completing education programs and more. United Way of Martin County is one of 41 programs in 19 states that was awarded a Ride United Transportation Access Grant from United Way Worldwide.
We are very grateful to be one of the 15 new locations across our nation to receive this grant, and we are thankful to the 10 national corporate partners that financially support the initiative.
The grant covers the cost of providing 125 round-trip rides or 250 single-trip rides. From what we have learned from Ride United programs in other communities, the demand for services quickly outpaced the available funding.
The Ride United program is one example of how a local United Way can use its national reach and local presence to build a stronger community. Our organization will continue to look for ways to bring national grants into Martin County to provide support for our residents.
As always, if you have questions or need more information about United Way of Martin County, please feel free to reach out to me at 772-283-4800, via email, chdiez@unitedwaymartin.org or our website, www.unitedwaymartin.org.
Carol Houwaart-Diez opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint
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VANRIPER’S VIEWS
By Darlene VanRiper
Are We Having Fun Yet FPL?
Two days after Ian hit the Treasure Coast as a tropical storm, FPL was able to restore my power in two days. I lived in Minneapolis for 8 years where it was common for snowstorms to generate 30 inches of those big, fat, wet snow flakes, and we never once lost power. I was curious as to why it seems whenever we have a strong breeze, my lights flicker. At times, we seem to randomly lose power.
I wondered why FPL has not buried the power lines. I remember a huge outcry, demand, in fact, after the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005 that they do so. Some were without power for weeks after Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne. FPL began, under this pressure, their Secure Power Line Program. I am beginning to wonder if it is lip service. The program was not launched until 2018. I am curious to know what they were doing those 13 years in between.
According to FPL.com as of 2021 they had “completed about 600 of these neighborhood projects.” I’m impressed. Just seems like they could have done a lot more. I guess they took those 13 years to assess and “[prioritize] neighborhoods that have had the most history of outages…”
Or were they concentrating on their solar program? In 2009, FPL built its first large universal scale solar project in Florida. Continuing to read on their website, I learned that “FPL currently operates 18 solar power plants, two that feature innovative energy storage, and hundreds of smaller solar installations.”
They are certainly proud of their solar ambitions. In fact, by 2030 they plan to have installed more than 30 million panels. Which would make Florida (read FPL) “a world leader in solar energy”. Great. So that’s enough solar panels, if laid end-to-end, to “wrap around the Earth one and a half times”.
According to the Edison Electric Institute which represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies, the cost associated with burying power lines is the real hinderance. In rural areas per mile, it costs $1.4 million and in cities $30 million per mile vs. running an overhead line which costs only $100,000 per mile. It is much more cost effective (and advantageous) to FPL to contract out of state and stand by crews to restore what was lost.
Two days after this latest storm they proudly announced that “more than 50% of customers [were] restored.” I wonder if the lines had been buried how that headline would have read. And how happy the other 50% would be.
Besides cost, other arguments you will hear against burying power lines is Florida’s highwater table and flooding issues. But “all of the underground equipment is specifically treated and designed so [FPL doesn’t] have to worry about corrosion.” They have the technology to “shoot” a line from one hole to another without digging a trench. Damage to neighborhood lawns and infrastructure is minimal.
It was to be a “20-25-year project to convert the 22,000 miles of overhead line in use” [on the Treasure Coast I am assuming], according to WQCS radio. If FPL was proceeding as initially suggested, and had they begun the project in 2006, they’d be done in 4 years.
I get that this is a huge project. But also consider saving the lives of residents and utility workers from electrocution. (There are 21 lineman deaths per 100,000 utility workers).
We are paying $2.00 every month on every bill toward line burial. FPL has 5 million customers in Florida. That translates to $120,000,000 every year to go to this task. I must wonder how much headway they are making in an effort that would immediately affect so many versus their dedication to building a solar empire which may not pay off as well or as certainly as burying power lines would.
Darlene VanRiper’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
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Nicki’s Place
By Nicki van Vonno
Nicki took this edition off.
Nicki van Vonno’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
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HAFNER’S CORNER
By David Hafner
I have two topics on my mind if you will humor me: 4-H and Hurricane Ian.
It was proclaimed as 4-H Week by both Martin County and the Village of Indiantown, 4-H members and alumni took October 2-8 as an opportunity to shine a light on 4-H, our country’s largest youth development organization. This year’s theme was Opportunity4All which is a great theme because 4-H really does offer something for everyone, and everyone is welcome as they are.
Youth who engage in 4-H are 50% more likely to get better grades in school, 50% more likely to plan to go to college, 40% less likely to engage in risky behaviors, and 25% more likely to positively contribute to their families and communities. As a Martin County 4-H alumnus I do believe those are all true.
There are over 230,000 4-H members in the State of Florida who are part of the 4-H community of more than 6.5 million young people across our country. You will recognize 4-H members as the youth who participate in the Martin County Fair’s Youth Livestock Show and arts exhibits, but that is a small part of what our local 4-H members do.
Along with the fair, you will find Martin County 4-H members volunteering to glean vegetables for House of Hope and the Treasure Coast Food Bank, organizing school supply and clothing drives with local non-profits, and advocating for our programs and our community by meeting with elected officials locally and in Tallahassee. Our mission is to “assist youth, and adults working with those youth, to gain additional knowledge, life skills, and attitudes that will further their development as self-directing, contributing, and productive members of society.”
The three pillars of 4-H are science, citizenship, and healthy living. Through hands on learning and teamwork within the clubs, 4-H members across Martin County are learning how to make the best better for tomorrow, today.
Then there was Ian! Most of Martin County’s population dodged a bullet with Hurricane Ian. Schools reopened just two days after Ian made landfall and the roads were busy with people returning to their normal lives seemingly unphased.
I say again most of Martin County. I live in Palm City just outside the urban services boundary and it was a different story for us. On Wednesday- hours before Hurricane Ian would make landfall near Fort Myers- my neighbors and I were evacuating livestock due to the rising flood waters. I had goats and sheep half submerged in water. I saw pictures of flooded barns and horses up to their bellies- in Palm City.
And while our children returned to school on Friday, we were still without power which also means we had no running water.
Now please don’t get me wrong, I am in no way comparing what we went through to the flooding, devastation, and loss of livestock that is being reported from Manatee and Sarasota Counties. But it is important to recognize that if we were the ones receiving the direct hit, if Ian took the track of 2004’s Frances and Jean, it could have been us who were swimming horses to safety.
I have long heard of the battle Palm City Farms residents have been fighting for better drainage. I really hope those voices are not now falling on deaf ears.
David Hafner’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARD BENT
By Joan Goodrich
CEO BDBMC
Joan Goodrich from BDB
Time Flies When You’re Having Fun (And Making an Impact)
Another year is in the books—quite literally.
No, we didn’t take a page from the grocery chains and drug stores and time hop from the start of school to Christmas and New Year’s.
We’re simply marking the end of another year of service. And while this turn of the fiscal calendar seldom inspires community celebrations, the Business Development Board of Martin County (BDB) recognizes it by ushering in a new board chair—alongside other moves at the leadership level—so it’s a natural time to take stock of what we’ve done together with our partners.
Jeff Leslie, CEO, Leslie Ventures, our outgoing chair, has proven to be a transformative leader. A natural motivator, Jeff excels at inspiring the best from others. He helped us meet and exceed multiple key goals—many of them longstanding priorities of the organization. And now as Eric Kiehn, CEO, C&W Technologies moves into the top volunteer position, we will undoubtedly build on this momentum with his own expertise, positioning the BDB for even greater community impact.
Jeff encouraged us to improve upon the impressive 50 Pulse Visits—in which we tour local businesses, meet with the owners and gain understanding of their unique obstacles, opportunities, and operations—in the program’s debut year.
We finished the fiscal year at 78 Pulse Visits—three over our elevated goal – with the team led by Willian “David” Snyder. Jeff also made sure our door was open to all business and community leaders who wanted to join Martin County’s Economic Team and roll up their sleeves to do the work of economic development with us.
On the entrepreneurial front, we hosted our second annual Side Hustle to Main Gig course, helping prepare the next class of local innovators for market success.
Our leadership network continues to strengthen and expand. The Talent Enhancement Team, led by Tammy Matthew, Bank of America, unites some of the top local minds dedicated to addressing new solutions in talent recruitment and workforce development.
The BDB’s Partner Council – now under the leadership of Katherine Culhane, Associate Director, Florida Small Business Development Center @ IRSC – increases cohesion among our chambers, industry association and nonprofit allies for coordination on common initiatives while building Martin County’s business friendliness and readiness.
The BDB’s business development team, led by our new business development executive Pierre Taschereau, is quickly fortifying international and national connections which are yielding results as we tout Martin County is open for business. Daher, Meltio-Additec, BD Liberator are a few of the legacy and disruptive innovators who recently chose Martin County to create jobs and make investments. And there are more announcements to come including a lauded European company who recently selected Martin County to relocate its U.S. headquarters.
From growing our own through the Pulse Visits, Talent Advancement Team, and entrepreneurial programs, to welcoming new businesses and retaining some too, it’s been a good year at the BDB thanks to the efforts of all involved with Martin County’s Economic Team.
Joan Goodrich’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint
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KEEP MARTIN BEAUTIFUL
By Tiffany Kincaid
Executive Director
Think “HazMobile” During Household Cleanups
Every Martin County resident knows that part of preparation for hurricane season is checking for batteries to power flashlights and radios in case of power outages.
But did you know that batteries are considered household hazardous waste and that they shouldn’t just be tossed into your curbside garbage container for regular pickup. Batteries – and many other types of household hazardous waste should be diverted from the landfill and disposed of properly.
And there’s a free and easy way to do it: through Martin County’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Vehicle – or HazMobile for short.
The HazMobile provides residents with a safe and convenient way to dispose of household hazardous waste at specific locations throughout Martin County.
Once a month, the HazMobile is on site at fire stations in Hobe Sound, Stuart, Jensen Beach, Indiantown, Port Salerno, and Tequesta, and at the Town Commons Park in Sewall’s Point. The HazMobile’s schedule of appearances, with day, time and location is listed on Martin County’s website here
The County also has a permanent Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Center at 9155 Busch Street in Palm City. Residents can dispose of up to 100 pounds of waste at no charge.
Most people don’t realize there are many items in your kitchen, bathroom and garage that are considered household hazardous waste. Look around your home for any of these items listed below and please dispose of them properly.
- Aerosol cans
- Antifreeze
- Cleaners
- Fertilizers and herbicides
- Filters
- Fluorescent bulbs
- Household batteries
- Paints
- Pesticides
- Use motor or cooking oil (under 5 gallons)
Helping to keep Martin County clean, green, and beautiful takes many forms. It’s more than beach cleanups, road adoptions and neighborhood revitalization efforts. Disposing of your household hazardous waste properly is another simple way you as an individual can make a difference and be a great steward of our environment.
To learn more about Keep Martin Beautiful and ways you too can take part in projects and initiatives to improve the environment, visit our Keep Martin Beautiful website here
or follow Keep Martin Beautiful on Facebook here
As always, thank you to everyone who is already doing their part to Keep Martin County Beautiful!
A Special PS: At this time when so many of our fellow Floridians have had their lives shattered by the devastating destruction of Hurricane Ian, Keep Martin Beautiful urges you to consider supporting worthy organizations that are trying to help with the most basic of needs. The American Red Cross is a favorite of ours (here).
Tiffany Kincaid’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint
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MARTIN COUNTY TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION
SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES LIVE WHERE?
For some time now, the MCTA has wanted to look at where school board personnel reside.
Anecdotally we had been led to believe that many were living outside of Martin County. Why does it matter where they live? For the MCTA purposes it has to do with economic impact and the recruitment of employees at the district.
To ascertain where district personnel live, we made a public records request to the district. We received a spreadsheet with their job titles and addresses along with other information but only used those two columns mentioned for our analysis. The results were rather unexpected.
The current employee roll shows more than half the school district personnel live in Martin County…including teachers. Those that live outside of the district are predominantly residing in Port St. Lucie.
What this list does not answer is why are we not attracting new employees, especially teachers. Is it because the salary or amount per hour is less than what the person would need to live here? Or is it that other districts pay more and therefore that is where they live work and live.
If teachers and other employees are residents of Martin County, they are also voters that would cast ballots here. It does not appear their votes mattered in the recent school board election. Anderson and Bernstein expressed a much more teacher centric philosophy over the winners Pritchett and Jen Russell. Yet Russell had a landslide and Pritchett beat Anderson by much less but nevertheless won.
Economically speaking, if you live within the county, you are spending your paycheck almost exclusively here. That would be a great benefit but even so is it enough to move the economic needle? Employees living within the county means we would collect more sales and use taxes.
More residents would also mean that other jobs would be created widening the tax base. Yet unless we are creating more housing where would new employees live that are from out of area? No one doubts that there is a shortage of housing. There are multiple disagreements on how that housing should be supplied.
Depending on the employment category, most employees do call Martin County home. The big unknown is how many Martin County residents or those that live elsewhere would take a job at the district at the salaries offered?
Lastly, since most non-Martin residents live in Port St. Lucie, how much does it really affect us and to what extent. Looking at the data that we have, we can’t say definitively, but we don’t believe it does.
There is a shortage of teachers and other employees throughout the state. We are competing with every other surrounding district and beyond. The main incentive for people to work here would be how much we pay to a large extent and, secondarily, the quality of the work environment including the demeanor of students, parents, and administrators. Lastly is there enough apartments and homes for the employees the district needs to attract.
The MCTA’s opinions are their own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint
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HELPING HAND
By Suzy Hutcheson
CEO Helping People Succeed
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
National Disability Employment Awareness month occurs during each October. While businesses continue to have trouble in hiring competent workers, people with disabilities stand ready to help not only fill the gap but also become long term employees. Helping People Succeed is a nonprofit organization that can assist you in finding the right employee for the right job.
Many people have asked us, what can a person with a disability do in the workforce of today—our answer is just about anything. For example, I wanted to be a famous dancer and that was not possible for me as I had no real talent. All of us are limited in some way or another—our job is to find the ABILITY each person has.
Employing individuals with diverse abilities not only enriches the individuals by helping them become a part of the community; but also, impacts economic viability, inclusion, and creates taxpayers. Margaret Meade is credited saying “If we are to achieve a richer culture, we must weave one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place”.
During National Disability Employment Awareness month, we invite local businesses to contact us to determine exactly what we can do to assist. We would be glad to meet with your Human Resource employee(s) or make presentations to your employees and civic groups. We have listed the businesses below we are working with, please feel free to give one of them a call to find out their experience.
Shannon Wilson, Employment Options Director, at Helping People Succeeds, says “once the person who has a disability determines what they want to do, we help them realize their goal”. Helping People Succeed has assisted hundreds of people obtain and maintain employment. A few of the Martin County businesses who have hired individuals through Helping People Succeed include: Martin County Board of Commissioners, Clerk of the Court, Wendy’s in Stuart and Jensen Beach, Cleveland Clinic Martin Environmental Services Department, Bonefish Grill, Home Depot Jensen Beach, Martin County School District, Pinewood Elementary, Beall’s Cove Road, TJ Maxx, Ross Jensen Beach, ABA Foundation, Dunkin Donuts Stuart, Goodwill Store Palm City, Winn Dixie Stuart.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness month; however, Helping People Succeed works every day to help people with disabilities become accepted, included, and valued employees. As Robert M. Hensel says, “Know me for my abilities, not my disability.”
Give Shannon Wilson a call at 772-320-0770, you will be glad you did!
Suzy Hutheson’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint
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CONSTITUTIONAL CORNER AND OTHER GOVERNMENT NOTICES
And from our Supervisor of Elections:
From The Clerk of The Court:
From the Property Appraiser
In this month’s Martin County Property Appraiser’s educational video, learn about the Office’s Ownership
Department and their fouressential functions to serve Martin County’s property and business owners.
YouTube video Link: HERE
Tax Collector
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The First Letter is From Bill Schmidt
Tom,
I enjoy getting the Friends and Neighbors each week and appreciate all the time and work it takes to put it together.
In reading John Gonzalez’s article on property transfer fraud there is another tip he could pass along to the readers. The Clerk of Courts website offers a free service where property owners can register to be notified of any attempts to transfer their property. That should be a great help if an unauthorized entity tries to sell their property. The link for this is “http://or.martinclerk.com/LandmarkWeb/FraudAlert”. Would you please pass this along to Mr. Gonzalez and your readers.
Thanks,
Next From Nicki van Vonno commenting on her comics column
Hi I am taking the week off. I would like to respond to the lady who commented about how Blondie sits. She sits with her back to the tv because she’s reading!
Stay damp cause none of us can stay dry!
Nicki
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And From Marcus Rothstein
Without your explanations I would not understand it anywhere near as well as I do now.
Thank you for your service to our community and being so clear. I hope our newspaper does better than the article in this morning’s paper with more clarification!
Thanks Tom.
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Galen Guberman writes
Is there not a direct conflict of interest regarding Stacey Hetherington and her votes on housing development and growth in Martin County? I understand that she is a real estate agent and would most certainly benefit financially from what I perceive as her pro growth stance. Shameful self interest should not be a trait that a County Commissioner wears like a badge of honor!
The last letter is from Audrey Taggart
A columnist in the Stuart News (9/29/22) accused his fellow citizens of not welcoming current refugees compared to centuries before when many of our ancestors came to the US. The problem with this stand is it is like comparing apples to oranges. Our ancestors were not welcomed in the 19th and 20th centuries. Irish came here in droves, after a potato famine in Ireland, and we know from history that there were signs in store windows stating “no Irish Need Apply” for jobs for this ethnic group and later “No Wops,” meaning “With Out Papers,” referring to the Italian immigration flood. Back in those days, immigrants needed to pass a physical health exam, had to have a trade with which to support themselves, and a sponsor/relative to “underwrite” them for there was no welfare, no aid to dependent children, no free public schools, no healthcare coverage like Medicaid, MediCal, and so on.
Today we must assess the toll on our economy when 3,555,342 illegals crossed our border in the past 20 months which cost the taxpayers $439,961,040,000 and of which 2/3 are military aged men – not families – on whom there are no background checks, no vetting, unlike what our forefathers experienced. One can view the records in D.C. of every boat’s full passenger list to ascertain their age, trade, living arrangements (many Irish came as indentured servants), and so on.
And the category “unaccompanied minors” has increased from 80,634 in 2019 to 146,188 in 2021. This is the most troubling trend. If a parent in the US sent his/her young child alone to the supermarket, s/he would likely be charged with child abuse/abandonment. Why are illegals encouraged to do what a US parent would be jailed for?
There are many other issues which do not apply to former immigrants but do to today’s immigrant:
Rise in Crime
Human Trafficking
Raping of women and children
Fentanyl and Drug trafficking
Daily death tolls
Drug cartel enrichment (One US governor has declared the cartels as terrorists and has asked the White House to do the same.)
These atrocities were unimaginable back then and unacceptable today. Border states are relying on Congress to pass House Joint Resolution 50. Recognizing that Article 1, Section 10 of the Constitution explicitly reserves to the states the sovereign power to repel an invasion and to defend their citizenry from drug cartels controlling our southern border.
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COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING SEPT 27, 2022
Hetherington requested that the ordinance having to do with the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits be brought back for discussion.
For some odd reason, the discussion was framed that the ordinance was unfriendly toward business. Some commissioners believed that the two stores that opened very recently should have received notice that an amendment to the county’s animal ordinance was being considered which would ban retail stores from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits in Martin County. That type of personal notice is not how it is set forth in statute.
As an example, Hetherington said that when they were discussing an ordinance to ban vaping for those under 21, the county spoke to the businesses who sold those products. The same went for the irrigation ordinance restricting how often lawns could be watered. In both those instances the county was attempting to solicit advice before the ordinances were written not in this case.
The motions and direction to staff had encompassed doing that with those two examples. There was no direction given for staff to contact anyone with the animal sale ban. Staff followed usual county procedures and the statute. Without clear direction from the board how is staff to know that something more is necessary.
As to whether the ban is anti- business, I don’t know how it would be in this instance. Government restricts what businesses can do…from dictating product placement to hours of operation…all the time and on every level. I do not blame the businesses for trying to overturn rules that limit their ability to sell to the most customers possible. I do object when the government does not step in when there is a potential problem.
There are really two problems with these types of sales. First, most large chain pet stores have eliminated selling dogs, cats, and rabbits for profit. In most of the stores today, they allow animal rescue organizations the opportunity to adopt animals out of their stores. The store benefits when a person adopts the pet and then immediately needs to spend money on food, litter, toys, a cage, and all other manner of accoutrements. There is no need for the store to source, feed, and pay vet bills for animal inventory. It is a win-win.
The second reason that stores sell live pets is because they can reap big profits by having a finance company come in and charge interest rates that would make a loan shark blush. If someone wants to overpay for an animal, that is their business. But the government started protecting the public from loan sharking a long time ago. Just this week the Washington Post published an article on this very practice and one of the predatory financing companies that both of the stores use, according to their own websites, is named in the article. Read it here
Every animal I have ever owned came from a rescue of some sort. We haven’t had a dog for quite a while, but we do have cats. I have never been disappointed in either any dog or cat that I have adopted.
Frank Valente of the Treasure Coast Humane Society stated that there are 85 ordinances banning the practices of selling dogs and cats in retail stores in the state of Florida. He also mentioned that some of the breeders that the two stores buy from have been cited by the USDA. He further went on to state that this ordinance did not put anyone out of business.
Ciampi and Hetherington did visit the stores. Ciampi is very concerned about the financing part and what happens if a customer ends up with a sick animal that costs a fortune in medical bills or dies. These are serious problems.
Most people who sign the financing contracts may not be the most astute financially. If you buy a bad product, then taking the store to small claims court could be a nuisance but not a catastrophe. When something happens to your pet that costs thousands of dollars in vet bills and/or the pet dies you have lost a member of the family. These pet owners may still be on the hook for thousands of dollars in loans.
I can also see the store owners’ dilemma. They have guaranteed the leases with the properties’ owners. The county should have gone to them to help negotiate surrender agreements and even pay some money to avoid any possible litigation. Since the businesses have been opened for less than a year, there is not a huge loss of income that can be proven in a court of law.
The commission has sent it back to the Animal Care and Control Oversight Board to have a public meeting with all the pet store owners invited (including those that do not sell animals), the Humane Society, and all other interested parties. The motion passed 5-0.
The Oversight Board was tasked originally with overseeing the humane treatment and welfare of the animals. They aren’t about looking to other competing interest outside of the animals’ well-being including real or imagined concerns of business owners who want to sell those animals. The board is not a competing interest group nor is it an arbiter between the animal rights and rescue community and the two store owners. Either the county considers this type of commerce acceptable or not to continue.
The agenda item which includes the USDA reports of violation and customer complaints can be found here
A major site plan approval for two 18-hole golf courses on Kanner by 96th Street was approved by the commission 5-0. All the irrigation for the courses will come from the C-44 canal. This is a good idea since it will not be taking water from the aquifer. Instead, the gray water from the canal which does have phosphorus and nitrogen will be used. A byproduct of this is that the courses will need to use much less fertilizer.
You can find the presentation here
If I were to say the Martin County Fair Grounds Board was back for another extension, would that surprise anyone?
They are now asking for the lease option to be extended from November of 2022 to 2024. The Fair Manager, Jay Spicer, has commitments but not firm dollars to construct his Agri Plex. This is not only going to be the Martin County Fairgrounds but so much more…a museum, a teaching farm, a campground, everything that you can imagine including a go cart track.
It is true that COVID prevented many things from happening perhaps including the fair board the opportunity to raise sufficient funds to sign a lease. Yet why can’t a fairgrounds with the few buildings it takes be built now and all the rest come later? Commissioner Ciampi has become a champion of this never-ending saga with asking the question why not just give a lease?
Attorney Woods explained that she is trying to protect the county’s assets. Heard, in her usual fiscally conservative manner, grilled Spicer on why he had not been able to do the things outlined in the option agreement to obtain a lease. Hetherington is with Ciampi on this because the community needs it. Agreed, but after years of the Stuart Fairground being in disrepair and the inability of the Indiantown property to proceed, when does it stop being funny.
It seems that the commissioners can’t separate the fairground from the fair from the fair board. The first question to be answered is should there be a fairground? Who should manage the fairground which is owned by the county? And should the fair board, an independent organization, have both the fair and the fairground under their auspices?
The county should take the asset of the fairground back under their control and build only those buildings necessary to have a Martin County Fair and the needed parking. The county can reduce the acreage now promised as they did to give to the Indiantown Charter High School and either use it for other purposes or lease the excess for private sector development.
Martin County Parks can construct the basic fair buildings and infrastructure under their auspices and be responsible for this county asset. It has been determined by the BOCC that a fair is needed. The county can have an RFP or a long-term contract with a company to run a fair. For the rest of the events/activities, the parks department can handle the scheduling and maintain a public asset. They do it now throughout the system, including at Sailfish Splash Park, where they have meets throughout the year.
Let us stop making a mountain out of mole hill and recoup some of the acreage that will sit unused but in the hands of an inept organization. At some point in the next decade, they may get their act together and build a few buildings…then what?
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STUART COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 26, 2022
Years ago, I worked on Mario Cuomo’s campaigns for mayor of NYC and governor of New York. He was no pushover but, generally, a nice and caring person. One of his favorite sayings was, “You campaign in poetry but govern in prose.” Many a politician, once elected, must come to terms with their election rhetoric and the hard choices in making policy.
Commissioner Campbell Rich is now learning that lesson. It is easy to deplore density but sometimes hard not to accept if it is necessary for the greater good. That was on display at this meeting.
Rich promised to fill the chamber with people to speak about the need for affordable/attainable/workforce housing during public comment. It can always bring a tear to an eye when the working poor speak about not being able to afford an apartment. The same goes for the non-profit leadership speaking about the need but offering no solution except “government needs to do something.”
Then during commissioner comments, Rich requested that a discussion item be added to relocate the public works garage to a location near the water plant. He wanted to devote what would be an empty site to some sort of affordable/attainable/workforce housing. The goodness of such an action can be poetically justified. Then comes the prose part which would need to be expressed in financial terms…who is going to do build it and how many units there would be. There was nothing about that.
For instance, if the 3+ acres of that site were fully utilized, under current code, about 100 units could be built at a cost of roughly $16 million at best. That would be one of the densest projects in the city. It would be contrary to everything Rich campaigned on. If fewer units were built, then would it be financially feasible because of the low return on such housing?
Does Rich propose giving away the land to someone? It is a valuable piece of property in the middle of Stuart. Is it fair to the taxpayers? I know I would not like it.
McDonald was against it because the garbage trucks and other vehicles would need to move to a lot adjacent to a single-family residential neighborhood. How many people want garbage trucks beeping at 5:30 am? He also cited the cost of $6 million which is the net for the relocation after construction.
Collins had a more philosophical approach. He asked what is the role of the City of Stuart? He does not like multi-family housing, but I don’t believe that was his overriding reason to be against the measure. He may be the last adherent to the free market on the commission…except if the market wants to build housing.
I agree that Stuart has no place trying to be in the housing business. We are not New York or any big city which does have public housing and even they cannot adequately maintain their properties. Stuart needs to take care of the streets, parks, and the safety of its residents.
Rich made the motion to have a reconsideration of this move at the next meeting. It died for a lack of a second. There was poetry in the gesture, but it was not matched by any way to do so in practical prose.
The commission had a lengthy presentation regarding form-based code for East Stuart and the Creek District from Jessica Seymour of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. This has been going on for a couple of years now. The new commissioners have spent time going through the proposed codes.
There were some minor comments, but it seems everyone is on board…so far. The next steps are a community meeting at 10th Street and then back to the LPA and the commission for final adoption. You can see the presentations for the Creek District here
And East Stuart here
The commission approved giving FPL 4 parking spots exclusively for EV charging stations in downtown. That was the same day that Hertz, in conjunction with BP Oil, announced that they would place 340,000 charging stations at their facilities including opening many to the public. In addition, one of the largest makers of charging stations in the past few months has made deals with grocery and big box stores throughout the country to place super-fast EV charging stations in their parking lots.
Wawa has installed fast charging stations. We will see more gas stations do so to keep customers of EV cars, which are clearly gaining market share, coming into their convenience stores. It appears the commission is trying, and in my opinion doing so badly, to compete with the private sector. Commissioner Collins was the only one to vote no on another hairbrained foray into the private market that the government of Stuart is so good at doing and then receiving little to no benefit from financially.
I can only hope that the lease for ten years will go away sooner because FPL decides it is not worth it to compete with other vendors in the EV charging market.
Another thing that is near and dear to Collins and Rich is to put an end to additional residential multifamily in the city. The first step is to initiate a ZIP (Zoning in Progress) to forestall any other building applications. City Attorney Mortell began by giving a few statistics. As it stands right now, there are two acres of vacant land currently in the city zoned for multi-family.
Collins stated that people do not want to live in rentals or condos because they all want houses. If nothing but single-family homes were built, then the average home in the city would be well over a million dollars due to construction, permit and impact fees, and the cost of land. How many people can afford that? Talk about unaffordable housing!
Collins said he thinks we should go with the Duany Plan that was done in 1988 for Stuart. Duany, a noted architect and adherent to New Urbanism, is not exactly in sync with private one-family homes being the dominant residential form. The architect believes that cars and parking should be reduced to an even greater extent than Stuart currently does. His buildings would be at least three stories in most instances with retail on the ground floor and the dreaded apartments above. They are built close to the adjacent sidewalk. A good example would be seen on Osceola in downtown Stuart.
The only thing that made sense to me was McDonald’s criticism of the half unit in the urban area as not being transparent. It is not necessarily that he wants to have fewer units allowed, he just wants to have the number of units to be known to everyone. That is a good call.
After about 45 minutes of discussion, Mortell said he had enough input for bringing back a ZIP to the commission for the next meeting. I am glad he knows what they all said because I wasn’t so sure. You can find his memo on what a ZIP is here
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SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SEPT 20, 2022
After working for the Martin County School District for 36 years, Deputy Superintendent Ginger Featherstone is retiring.
She has held that position since 2013. Ms. Featherstone has risen through the ranks. Her job titles have included teacher, assistant principal, the first principal of Jensen Beach High plus several more. She has been a mentor to countless students, teachers, and administrators.
There was an outpouring of love for her from current and former staff and school board members. It is not a regular occurrence that someone of Featherstone’s ability would stay with one district for her entire career. That shows an unusual fealty to the children of Martin County. She will be missed.
Superintendent Millay gave a very good presentation about why some of our students excel and others do not. According to the presentation, by the age of 3, children from affluent homes may hear 3 million more words that those from poorer homes. That is an impressive statistic.
Then imagine how hard it is for students whose parents speak a language other than English and so have no idea how to help their children do their homework. More than 77% of Martin County’s population is classified as white. The Martin County student population in 2022 is less than 52% white. Hispanic children make up 34.5% of our students. Slightly over 50% of all students receive free and reduced lunch.
In the past 10 years, Port Salerno Elementary went from 59% Hispanic to 79% Hispanic. The number of white and Black students at JD Parker has dramatically reduced while Hispanic students have increased from 36% to 46.6%. 19% of students in the district are classified as English Language Learners (ELL). Each student’s family take a Home Language Survey every year stating what language is spoken in the home. According to the presentation, 82 different languages have been identified including a variety of Mayan dialects. 
Millay asks, “How we, as a district and county, make sure that each student receives the education they deserve?” The district has instituted several programs from a computer-based reading program and a points-based incentive program awarding prizes as students advance.
The call to action is:
- Volunteers to read
- Universal pre-school and more early learning
- Community support
- Adult education
- Raising the pay for paraprofessionals to $15 per hour.
You can see the presentation here
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COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 29, 2022
It looks like we have finally come to the end of the boat cover ordinance.
It has been a tough slog. One thing the town should be happy about is HB Barrett who is on the Planning & Zoning Advisory Board (PZA). He came to this meeting and gave a cogent explanation regarding why certain language was included in the ordinance that had been sent to the commission by the advisory board. The commission had removed it on first reading.
Barrett explained that the reason the board wanted to make removal of the covers mandatory before a storm was because it is dangerous to leave them in place during an incoming storm. Unless removal is mandatory, some owners would not obey the ordinance.
The second was to insert that a tropical storm warning as well as a hurricane triggered the removal of the covering. A 65 MPH wind can be as dangerous as a 75 MPH wind as far as lifting the covering and poles from a deck. The changes were made, and it passed 5-0. HB, have you thought about running for commission.
Once you get to see Town Manager Daniels in action, it is obvious that he has been around the block a few times.
He has proposed that a 120-day ZIP be in place for time to have the LDRs reflect the changes in the comp plan as amended. Otherwise, someone could come in and file a plan under the old LDRs at the same time new rules would be going into effect. For example, perhaps someone could want to change setbacks and a ZIP would forestall applications coming using the old ones.
Campo believes that would show un-neighborliness to a developer who wants to develop an 8-acre parcel from coming into town. The manger did speak to him before this meeting to get his feedback and there does not seem to be any problem. Campo’s solution to keep Mayberry on the Indian River alive was to table the implementation of a ZIP for two weeks. He further went on speaking with no rational reasoning that property rights could be infringed upon, or the town would be open to a Lake Point type lawsuit resulting in millions of dollars having to be paid.
I was surprised Mayfield wanted to put it off also claiming she wanted to think about it. One thing about Sewall’s Point…nothing is rushed. There was a motion by Campo to table the discussion for two weeks. It was seconded by Mayfield. Further discussion occurred.
Kaija Mayfield
Kurzman brought up flooding, and he doesn’t want to see it anymore. Campo asked if Landry, their planner was up to the job or should there be another expert involved. Attorney Torcivia said that planners write about 90% of the LDRs with input from an attorney and building department.
Finally, someone asked Bonny Landry, the town’s consultant, about the reason for a ZIP. In her mind, it was always contemplated to do after the comp plan had been finished. There are not property right issues involved in this. Talking about redoing the LDRs without the ZIP would allow someone to come in under the old rules and file an application.
A vote was taken, and the motion failed 2-3 with Campo and Mayfield not prevailing. Another motion was made and seconded by Kurzman and Fender to institute the ZIP that passed 3-2 with Campo and Mayfield in opposition.
It was agreed to execute a contract to buy 78 South Sewall’s Point Road for $2,170,000 to build an STA and outflow to the river. This has been going on for some time. Campo was persistent and able to be instrumental in getting the property. They will borrow $2 million from either Seacoast or South State Bank to be able to close by Dec 20th. The terms sheet can be found here
Once the STA is built, they will resell the property with the house on the river. It seems to be a very practical solution to a thorny problem about having an STA for the water run off that plagues that area.
An earlier version of this story had HB Warren named instead of HB Barrett…
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COUNCIL SPECIAL BUDGET & REGULAR MEETINGS SEPTEMBER 22, 2022
Without discussion or questions, the budget was passed unanimously.
The final millage rate was 1.6304. You can see the final budget presentation here
Mayor Gibbs-Thomas wanted to end the practice of reading emails into the “record” during public comment. A vote was taken, and it passed 3-2. Both Hernandez and Stone were against the change in the policy. They were passionate in their defense of the practice.
However, the majority believe that if a citizen has something to say, they should come to the council meeting. The reading of an email by the clerk has no real impact on the council. It just allows the person drafting the email to feel as if they did something without expending too much effort. Further, how can the source of the email be confirmed and who sent it?
No one mentioned this, but every email sent is in the public record. It does not have to be “read” into the record. Hernandez decided to read the email during her comments. All that did was visibly annoy her three colleagues. Stone asked for an item to come back to discuss this new policy.
I wish all commissioners, especially Stone, would speak into the mics so that those listening to the meeting have the full advantage of hearing what is being said. I would recommend that the presenters come and do their presentations in person also. If it is important enough to place on the agenda, the company that has or is trying to have a contract with the village should make that effort. A remote voice speaking in the background during a power point presentation is not nearly as effective.
A Zoom presentation was given regarding the mobility fee by NUE Concepts, the village’s consultant. An impact fees for roads does not include intermodal transportation such as sidewalks, bike paths, or mass transit. The county has a fee that it will impose on new village projects. It does not need to spend the money collected within the village but within a designated area.
The concept of such a mobility fee is a good one. That is not in dispute. Jonathan Paul of Nue gives four alternatives:
- Include projects outside the village and adopt a policy unilaterally doing away with Martin County’s Road impact fees.
- Negotiate a share of the fee with the county through negotiation. At the same time, play hardball and do not collect the county’s fees when issuing permits.
- The village implements a fee, and the county keeps the fee.
- The village adopts no fee.
If the village goes with the first option, it is almost certain they will end up in court. Palm Beach Gardens, one of the consultant’s clients, did and so far, have lost. The village can obviously always follow the first half of item 2 and not immediately go to war. The last two options are very doable but option 3 makes development expensive and option four will increase costs, not to the development that is causing the expense, but to the village.
I believe it would be more important to bring the county in early and negotiate their fee and responsibilities. It will turn out to be much more productive than what happened with the fire/rescue debacle. You can see the presentation here
Perez asked that last meeting’s motion regarding the qualifications for the PZA board be reconsidered. She had voted to have only residents as members. She now wished to bring back a motion to have those with businesses in the city also be eligible. Gibbs-Thomas and Dipaolo had voted to have business owners as part of the board at that meeting.
Hernandez said that she believed that only residents should be on the village’s boards. She recited a long list of municipalities, including their populations, that follow that prescription. Gibbs-Thomas stated that she could find an equal number of towns that would support her position. Stuart allows property owners to be on their advisory boards.
I agree with Hernandez. I think that you should live within the municipal boundaries to be a council member as well as a board member. While business owners may have a stake in the village, it is different from a resident. A business owner may vote one way because it is good for the business, but that doesn’t mean it is good for someone who lives in the village.
On reconsideration, the motion passed 3-2 with Hernandez and Stone dissenting.
Two years ago, Hernandez made a statement that council members should rotate on the boards they sit. She and her majority of Clarke, Dowling, and Stone then proceeded to remove Gibbs-Thomas from her League of Treasure Coast Cities board seat. She was not only a board member but 2nd VP at the time plus the Treasure Coast representative on the board of the Florida League of Cities.
Now it was Gibbs-Thomas turn to say the same thing to Hernandez and Stone. Hernandez was removed from her position as Indiantown’s representative to the local league and Perez was her replacement. The council removed Stone from his place on the BDB and put Dipaolo in his place.
Stone had self-nominated to go to the National League of Cities conference in Kansas City, costing $3200. Like Perez going to Elected Municipal Official (EMO) discussed at the last meeting, the village had already paid for some of it. Unlike the EMO training, which is a valuable learning experience, the national conference is a junket…especially for a city the size of Indiantown where the large cities of New York, Miami, Chicago predominate.
I have quite a bit of experience with the league. Attending one of the league classes in the state is a valuable experience for the elected official and for his city. I was very involved with the state league as a board member, on the advocacy committee, and on other committees. I went to Washington to advocate for city issues and Stuart’s wellbeing. What I never did was go to the national conference.
This council keeps conflating education and advocacy with junkets. Most educational courses can be done within the state. One council member should specialize in advocacy and be part of the local league’s team. They will be trained and then they will go to Tallahassee to advocate for issues outlined by the league. In some cases, the league will pick up the member’s expenses.
In my experience, for a city the size of Indiantown, the only conference worth attending is the state conference. And that doesn’t mean the entire council attends…only one and perhaps two members for one or two nights at most.
It was a 3/2 vote to send Stone.
There is $7000 in the budget for council travel and education. They have now spent about 2/3 of the money for the year on two council members. What are they going to do for the next 11 months and the other council members?
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The Next Meeting Is October 10, 2022
In The Spotlight
by Jackie Holfelder
Jackie is always looking for a good story…you may reach her at: jackieacolumn@gmail.com
Parent’s Night Out at the Y!
Hey mom and dad! The Stuart branch of the YMCA has your back with a fun-filled Parents’ Night Out event, held on the second Friday night of each month (now through May), from 6-10 p.m. at the Stuart Branch. It’s a safe and healthy childcare setting that will give you peace of mind and your kids a great time.
Each Parent’s Night Out is themed and children will have the opportunity to swim. play sports and games, create arts and crafts, enjoy a movie, and more.
The program even includes a fresh fruit and pizza dinner.
Parent’s Night Out is $24 per child for YMCA members and $32 for non-members. Siblings each save $5.
The evening is for kiddos aged 4-14 who are potty-trained. Each child needs to bring a swimsuit, towel, change of clothes, PJs, special stuffy and sleeping bag! The Y strongly discourages the use of toys and games from home (except for the stuffy). Personal electronics (video games, phones, tablets, etc.) are strictly prohibited.
Advanced registration is required. Minimum enrollment of 10 required for program to operate. Themes for upcoming Parents Night Out are:
10/14/22 (Pre-Halloween Bash)
11/11/22 (Veteran’s Day)
12/9/22 (Winter Holiday Party)
1/13/23 (2nd Semester Kick-Off)
2/10/23 (Valentine’s Day)
3/10/23 (Spring Break Kick-off)
4/14/23 (Spring Holiday Party)
5/12/23 (Summer Kick-off)
The YMCA is located at 1700 SE Monterey Road in Stuart. For information, visit www.ymcatreasurecoast.org/parents-night-out.
Photo YMCA
The Best Volunteer Gig in Town: The Stuart Air Show!
What’s a more energizing and invigorating event than the Stuart Air Show? You can be a part of the action by volunteering at one of the exciting positions available, including STEM, Culinary, Gates, VIP section and much more. Shifts are flexible and you’re bound to have a blast at this largest annual event on the Treasure Coast.
Stuart Air Show
The Stuart Air Show will take place the weekend of November 11-13 at historic Witham Field in Stuart. To sign up or for information, visit www.stuartairshow.com/volunteer.
Coming through for 4Cs
We’ve all heard that “team work makes the dream work” and a great team helped Caring Children Clothing Children (4Cs) get some much-needed new clothing drop-off bins delivered recently.
Anderson Middle School
Gigi Suntum, Executive Director of 4Cs explained, “Here are pictures of new clothing bins that we were able to place recently. With funds from Hobe Sound Community Chest, a new bin found a home at Hobe Sound Elementary School and thanks to a truck, trailer and muscle provided by Project Lift, not only that bin but a much-needed replacement bin for Anderson Middle School is now in place and waiting for your donations.
Hobe Sound Elementary
These bins are two of ten that are located at schools in Martin County. Caring Children Clothing Children relies on donations from parents and children to realize its mission to clothe all Martin County children in need. Donations of gently used clothing from baby sizes on up through teen sizes are always needed.”
To learn more, www.4cmartin.org.
Our Sister’s Closet Needs your Work Duds
Sydney Liebman and Sue-Ellen Sanders aren’t happy unless they’re involved in a project – preferably one that benefits the community in some way. Several months go they came up with the idea for Our Sisters Closet, a boutique stocked with gently-used professional and career clothing for women.
Our Sisters Closet
In the blink of an eye, they were up and running under the umbrella of Incubate Neighborhood Center (INC), a nonprofit that provides transformational services and programs that strategically target new business growth, increased job attainment and homeownership in underserved communities.
Our Sister Closet
It’s located in Fort Pierce, but if you’ve got some perfectly perfect career clothing that’s off your hit list, email me at jackieacolumn@gmail.com and we’ll figure something out.
Your donations MUST be clean, in good repair and in current style. The goal of Our Sisters Closet is help prepare women for success in their business life by looking the part. Clothing and accessories that don’t fit this description will find a better home with a different nonprofit. Thanks for your consideration.
Jackie is always looking for a good story…you may reach her at: jackieacolumn@gmail.com
IF YOU ARE NOT A SUBSCRIBER DO SO FOR FREE HERE
CORPORATISM, CONSERVATIVISM, COERCION
Governor Ron DeSantis spoke to the National Conservatism Conference recently. He stated that the Republicans’ approach to big business had to change.
During the speech he said that ”Corporatism is not the same as free enterprise.” I could not be more in agreement. Republicans and Democrats are way too anxious to bend policy toward big corporations. They subsidize them with tax dollars, pass laws that protect them from competition, and make sure that they pay few or no taxes.
Regulations book.
If you believe in markets, then a fairer approach needs to be applied. Unfortunately, DeSantis says the right things then everything he does represents politics and not free market economics. As an example, he pushed a bill that took away Disney’s self-governing right. For more than 50 years, they have had the right to be their own government with everything that comes with it.
In my opinion that power should have never been given to a private corporation, but it was, and Disney built their business based on that promise. The reason the governor pushed the bill was because Disney criticized DeSantis’ stand on gay rights. It was pay back not anything else. Would the governor had done so if the corporation had not said anything? I don’t think so.
DeSantis wants us to believe that his attack on internet and media companies is because they are doing the “regime’s” bidding regarding censoring politicians such as Trump. The very notion of calling our government a regime is to infer that Washington under the Democrats is akin to Venezuela under Maduros.
There is just enough of a kernel of truth to his rhetoric for it to be believable. But it is not enough to justify the laws he has passed such as the “Stop WOKE Act” which prevents businesses from conducting diversity training as the business deems appropriate. If he is concerned with businesses having the freedom to call their own shots, then he would not have banned individual businesses from determining whether customers should be required to wear masks when entering during Covid. Within the confines of their own premises, the business owner should have whatever rules he deems appropriate. If customers don’t like it, then they can choose not to patronize those businesses.
DeSantis is for the market and free enterprise when the business agrees with him. Otherwise, he would have no problem curtailing their freedoms. His pettiness is on display…not any affinity for free enterprise.
IF YOU ARE NOT A SUBSCRIBER DO SO FOR FREE HERE www.friendsandneighborsofmartincounty.com
GET THE WORD OUT
Friends and Neighbors of Martin County is your eyes and ears so that you know what is going on in Martin County’s municipal and county governments. I attempt to be informative and timely so that you may understand how your tax money is being spent. Though I go to the meetings and report back, I am no substitute for your attending meetings. Your elected officials should know what is on your mind.
Tom Campenni 772-341-7455 (c) Email: thomasfcampenni@gmail.com
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Articles Tom wrote:
From Martin County Moment:
“A Deal In The Works”
“The Emperor Has No Clothes”
From Medium
“School Vouchers Can Prevent School Censorship”
“Christian Nationalism For America Is A Fallacy”
Other Articles:
The Capitolist: “Jeff Brandes’ think tank: Live Local Bill will help, but bigger changes needed to fix affordable housing crisis”
The New York Times: “How To Clear 500,000 Ferel Cats From New York Streets”
Trump’s Indictment
Florida Phoenix: “Statehouses debate who should build EV charging networks”
The Washington Post: “Tracing the power of Casey DeSantis”
GLOSSARY
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
Annual Medium Income (AMI)
Basin Action Management Plan (BMAP)
Best Management Practices (BMP)
Board of County Commissioners (BOCC)
Business Development Board (BDB)
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)
Career & Technical Education (CTE)
Center For Disease Control (CDC)
Centum Cubic Feet (CCF)
Children’s Services Council (CSS)
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
Community Development District (CDD)
Community Redevelopment Board (CRB)
Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)
Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR)
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Emergency Operation Center (EOC)
Equivalent Residential Connection (ERC)
Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU)
Evaluation & Appraisal Report (EAR)
Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA)
Fixed Asset Replacement Budget (FARB)
Federal Rail Administration (FRA)
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND)
Full Time Equivalents (FTE)
Future Land Use Maps (FLUM)
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)
Hobe Sound Local (HSL)
Indian River Lagoon (IRL)
Land Development Code (LDR)
Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule (LORS)
Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSUM)
Local Agency Program Certification (LAP)
Local Planning Agency (LPA)
Martin County Fire/Rescue (MCFR)
Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO)
Martin County Taxpayers Association (MCTA)
Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU)
Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU)
Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY)
Organization For Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD)
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB)
Planned Unit Development (PUD)
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
Preserve Action Management Plan (PAMP)
Request for Proposal (RFP)
Residential Planned Unit Development (RPUD)
Right of Way (ROW)
Secondary Urban Services District (SUSD)
South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD)
South Martin Regional Utility (SMRU)
State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP)
Storm Water Treatment Areas (STA)
Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
Urban Planned Unit Development (UPUD)
Urban Services Boundary (USB)
World Health Organization (WHO)
Zoning-In-Progress (ZIP)
